Manhattan Man Arrested For Jailhouse Scuffle

MANHATTAN, Kan. (WIBW) -- A Manhattan man busted for DUI faces additional charges after police say he got into a fight with a corrections officer at the Riley County jail. The same man is also awaiting trial in a deadly arson scheme.

On Wednesday, August 21, 2013 around 3 AM, Gavin Hairgrove, 20, was arrested for Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer after officials say he caused a short altercation inside the Riley County Jail.

The corrections officer was not injured in the incident.

Hairgrove was arrested prior to the scuffle for Driving Under the Influence and Possession of Depressants. His bond on that case was set at $3,500 and his bond in the battery case was set at $5,000.

Hairgrove is awaiting trial in federal court as an alleged accomplice in a deadly arson that claimed the life of a Kansas State University researcher.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the sequence of events began in the late evening hours of Feb. 5 when Scahill’s associates, Frank Joseph Hanson and Dennis James Denzien, conspired to commit a robbery at Dara’s Fast Lane, a convenience store in Manhattan. Early in the morning hours of Feb. 6, Hanson and Denzien robbed Dara’s Fast Lane. Denzien was the driver. Hanson entered the store brandishing a .22 caliber pistol owned by Scahill.

At about 6 p.m. that day, Riley County Police were dispatched to a disturbance call and knocked on the door of the residence where Scahill lived. Denzien and Hanson also were at the residence when police arrived. After police noticed a strong odor of marijuana from the residence, they told Scahill and the others they were going to seek a warrant to search the residence. Scahill, Denzien and Hanson left the residence while police were working to obtain a warrant.

Meeting together later, Scahill, Denzien, Hanson and Griese discussed the likelihood that police would find narcotics, a firearm and items associated with the robbery at Dara’s Fast Lane once they searched Scahill’s residence. They discussed ways to divert the attention of law enforcement officers long enough for Scahill to re-enter the residence and remove the incriminating evidence.

In the end, Griese, a friend named Gavin Hairgrove, and another person, drove to a Walmart where Griese bought a five-gallon gas can. Then they went to a HyVee gas station where Hairgrove worked and Griese pumped 4.7 gallons of gas into the can. She paid for it with her debit card.

Later, Scahill and Griese drove around looking for something to burn. They chose the Lee Crest Apartments, a three-level, 12-unit apartment complex within sight of Scahill’s apartment. Scahill entered the building. He emptied the contents of the gas can in the lower level hallway, set the fire and left the building.

As the fire burned, a thick, black smoke rose through the building, forcing tenants out of their apartments through windows and out of balconies. Vasanta Pallem was unable to escape the building. She worked her way from her apartment on the top floor of the building to the first floor where she died near the east entrance of the complex. An autopsy showed she died from breathing fumes during the fire. The carbon monoxide saturation in her system was over 50 percent, more than enough to kill her.

After setting the fire, Scahill and Griese went to Griese’s apartment where Scahill cleaned up and discarded clothes soaked in gasoline. Hairgrove assisted Scahill in disposing of his shoes, which reeked of gasoline.

Later, investigators looking into the arson received tips that led them to Scahill.

Scahill was sentenced to 30 years in prison and Griese was sentenced to 20 years.

Denzien was sentenced to 20 months in prison and Frank Hanson was sentenced to 42 months.

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